Why NATO is NATO, while UN is UN? Linguist explained how to correctly translate foreign abbreviations.

Philologist Olha Vasyliieva explained how foreign abbreviations are correctly written in Ukrainian in the column of 'Hlavkom' 'Language Issue'.

Many people are confused by the fact that NATO is written the same way as in English, while UN differs from its foreign version.

There are words that are transliterated, not translated: NATO, NASA, UNESCO, and several others. We similarly formed NATO and UNESCO to be indeclinable neuter nouns, such as 'casino', 'loto', 'radio', the linguist explained.

Therefore, although NATO is a defense alliance which has masculine gender in the English language, in Ukrainian NATO is used in neuter gender. For instance, 'NATO outlined the path of reforms for Ukraine'.

On the other hand, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) - National Aeronautics and Space Administration; this abbreviation sounds like a feminine noun (like cloud, language, land). However, both the main word 'administration' and the concept 'agency' have neuter gender, so this word is declined in neuter gender: NASA planned the collision of the spacecraft with an asteroid.

Thus, NATO and UNESCO are exceptions where the abbreviation has become a noun.

It is important to note that 'Kofe' is not a literary norm of the Ukrainian language. This was stated by philologist Olha Vasyliieva in the column of 'Hlavkom' 'Language Issue'.

Previously, in the column 'Language Issue', the philologist explained to Ukrainians the difference between 'otzhe' and 'vidtak'. This word is often confused, and it is worth knowing its meaning, the linguist notes.

Let us recall that linguist Olha Vasyliieva examined the text of Oli Polyakova's song and found out whether there is a word 'svobodny' in the Ukrainian language. Oli Polyakova translated her song 'Queen of the Night' and now sings 'You are now free, go wherever you want...'.